Internal-combustion engine.



Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

INVENTOR WITNESSES To all whomttmay :rnn sra s Pram can CHARLES G. WRIDG-WA Y, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

eaaisa.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Dec. 7, 19.

Application filed December 31, 1908. Serial No. 470,201.

concern! Y 3 Be .it'flmown that I, CHARLES G. WRIDG- wAY,'a,subject ofthe King of Great Britain, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan,

city, county, andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Internal-Combustion Engines, of

in which like reference numerals designate" ken away, and showing the valve in full lines;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing a cylinder and piston, the section being taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmental section on the line 3-3 of Fi 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmental plan view of Fig. 1 with the exhaust pipe removed; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the valve detached.

Referring now in detail to the particular embodiment, as shown in the drawings,-1'

and 2 are two engine cylinders arranged in a A pair and preferably cast in one piece, as shown, and provided with the usual water jacket. v

3 is a piston working in the cylinder 1. The cylinder 2 is provided with a similar piston.

4: and 5 are parts formed "in the sides of the respective cylinders, in close proximity, and opening into a valve cage in-which works a rotary valve 6. The port 4 provides both the inlet and outlet for cylinder 1 and the port 5 provides both the inlet and outlet for cylinder 2. This valve is made in.the form of a s here, as shown, and is rotated on a vertica axis by means of the valve rod -7. The valve rod isactuated by suitable means which may be a beveled pinion 8 carried on the'valve stem and meshing with a J pinion 9 carried on an auxiliary shaft, such.

as the cam shaft 10.

11 is the-inlet pipe whose mouth 12 corn municates with'both of the ports 1 and 5.

13 is the exhaust pipe having a mouth 14 which communicates with both of the ports 4 and 5. These inlet and exhaust pipes preferably have their mouths opening in opposite directions from the cylinder ports. In the present instance, the inlet pipe leads to the ports from below and the exhaustvpipe leads to the ports from above.

The valve 6 is provided with two passages 15 and 16, each of which is arranged to communicate with both ports in turn. The en gine shown in the drawings is of thefourcycle type and the valve may be termed a four-cycle valve, the cycles of its operation corresponding to those of the engine. The passage 15 in the valve is arranged to communicate with the supply pipe 11 but not with the exhaust pipe, and the passage 16 in the valve is arranged to communicate with the exhaust pipe 13 but not with the supply pipe. The valve is held in place by a removable keeper. plate 17 which closely fits the surface of the valve and constitutes part of the valve cage. When the plate 17 is detached from place, the valve may be removed. The valve is preferably provided with bands of packing 18 and 19 which intersect each other and divide the surface of the valve into four sections. The passages 15 and 16 occupy two of these sections which adjoin each other. As the parts are shown in the drawings, the valve passage 15 is in register with port 4 of cylinder 1 and with the mouth of the inlet pipe 11, and the valve passa e 16 is in reg1ster with port 5 of cylin er 2 and with the mouth of the exhaust pipe 13. The piston 3 has just completed its upstroke for the exhaust of cylinder 1 and.1s ready to make its down-stroke for the intake of gas into the cylinder.- The piston in cylinder 2 would be, at this time, at the bottom of the cylinder and is ready through port 5 and valve passage 16. The Valve has four difi'erent positions and preferably it moves promptly step by step from one position to another halting in each position until it has discharged the function appropriate to that position whereupon it promptly moves to the next position. For this purpose its driving pinion 9'has a corresponding movement. During the downward movement ofthe piston 3 for the in- R take of gas to cylinder-1, the valve remains no stationary in the position shown 1n the drawings in which it brings the supply pipe to make its up-stroke to exhaust the cylinder into communication with the port 4. The

passage 16, having brought the port.5 into communication with the exhaust pipe, enables the exhaust-of cylinder 2 to be completed by the up-stroke of the piston of cylinder 2. When pis. 3 hascompleted its down-stroke and piston of cylinder 2 has completed its up-stroke, the valve rotates one step so. as to bring its passage 15 into register with port 5 for the intake of gas to cylinder 2. This brings the shut-ofi section of the valve immediately behind the passage 15 into register with port 4 so as to close the port. The valve remalns 1n th1s second position during the up-stroke of p1ston 3 to compress the gas in cylinder 1, and for the down-stroke of piston in cylinder '2 for the intake of gas thereto. The valve then turns to its third position in which the cut-off section of the valve which has just been closing the port 1, now closes port 5 and the following cut-01f section of the valve "closes port 4. 'When the valve is 1n this position the firing of cylinder 1 takes place and the compression in cylinder 2 takes place. The valve then moves to 1ts fourth position in which passage. 16 registers with port 4 for the exhaust of cylinder 1' and the cut-off section of the valve immediately in advance of the passage 16 registers with port 5 during the firing of cylinder 2. The valve then moves to its initial position where it remains for the intake into the cylinder 1 through the valve passage 15 and for the exhaust of cylinder 2 through valve passage 16.

By the valve arrangement herein shown and described, it will be seen that one valve takes care of the supply and exhaust for each of the two cylinders, thus accomplishing the function of two inlet and two outlet valves with which each pair of cylinders has heretofore been usually provided. In the preferred arrangement the valve and the ports for the. two cylinders are located as shown in the drawings, in which the ports 4 and 5 are located in the sides of the two cylinders and in the sides of the angle formed by the cylinder walls, the valve being located in said angle with its stem parallel to the axes of the cylinders. This arrangement has the'advantages of compactness, convenience, economy of construction, etc. It is apparent, of course, that one valve, such as the valve 6, may-be used in conjunction with each separate cylinder. In this case, the valve would take the place of the two inlet and outlet val es heretofore in general use for a cylinder. Furthermore, the valve arrangement herein shown and described, makes it feasible to construct the cylinders with a uniform internal diameter,

as shown, so that the entire internal surface of the cylinder may be machined and finlshed, thus removing the roughness which has heretofore characterized the interior of the combustion end of a cylinder and which has led to the undue heating thereof. Again, by-giving the cylinder a uniform internal diameter, the full force of the explosion may be directed upon the head of the piston.

For the purpose of protecting the. valve from the force of theexplosions, the piston 3 is arranged to close the cylinder port when it has reached its position of greatest gas compression. For this purpose the piston is provided with a lip 20 on its upper face which closes the port when it has reached its position of greatest gas compression and -without materially diminishing the space above the piston.

Other advantages of the valve are the noiselessness and freedom from vibration and jarring which characterizes its operation.

What is claim e'd and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is 1.. In an internalcombustion engine, the combination of a piston cylinder having a port .for both inlet and outlet; and a rotary spherical valve for said port, whereby one valve may control both the inlet and outlet at said port.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination of a piston cylinder having a port-for both inlet and outlet; and a rotary spherical valve for said port having sepa-.

rate inlet and outlet passages to register with said port, whereby one valve may control both the inlet and outlet at said port.

3. In a four cycle internal combustion engine, the combination of a piston cylinder having a port for both inlet and outlet; and a four cycle rotary valve having separate inlet and outlet passages for said port, said valve being provided with suitable packing dividing it into four sections, whereby one valve may control both the inlet and outlet at said port.

4. In an internal conroustion engine, the combination of two piston cylinders, each cylinder having a port for both inlet and outlet; and a rotary s herical valve having two passages for sai ports, whereby one valve may control both the inlet and outlet at both of said ports.

5. In a four cycle internal combustion engine, the combination of two piston cylinders, each cylinder-having a port for both inlet and outlet; and a rotary four cycle valve having two passages for said orts, said valve being provided with suitable packing dividing it into four sections, whereby one valve may control both the inlet and outlet of both of said ports.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of two four cycle piston cylinders, each cylinder having a port for both inlet and outlet; a four cycle rotary valve having two passages for said ports, said valve being provided with suitable packing, dividing said, valve into four sections; inlet and outl'et pipes leading to said valve passages and each havi a mouth communieating with both of said ports, whereby one. valve may control the inlet and outlet at both of said ports.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of' two four cycle piston cylinders and pistons, each cylinder having a port. for both inlet and outlet; a four cycle rotary valve having two passages for said ports, said valve being provided with suit-- able packing dividing said valve into four sections; inlet and outlet pipes leading to said valve passages and each having a mouth communicating with both of said ports,

whereby one valve may control the inlet andoutlet at both-0f said ports, each of said pistons operating to close its port at the position of greatest gas compression, substantially as set fortl 'combination of a piston cylinder having a port for both inlet and outlet; supply and exhaust pipes both communicating with said v port; and a rotary spherical valve controlling the communication between said port and pipes.

9.7 In an internal combustion engine, the combination of apiston cylinder having a port for both inlet and outlet; supply and exhaust pipes both communicating with said port; and a rotary'spherical Valve having an inlet-passage and a separate outlet passagecontrolling the communication between said port and pipes.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLESG. VVRIDGWVAY.

Witnesses:

4 Jos. Glrsnn,

CHARLES A. ANDERSON. 

